Water Changes

[Meyer Jordan]

A natural pond has fresh water flowing into it at all times.

Well, not quite 'fresh'. It is an established fact that the streams that feed into natural lakes and ponds are quite heavy in pollutants, often at a level higher than the body of water that they are feeding. Wrong argument to promote water changes.
Glad to hear that you fish recovered from fin-rot. 10% water changes had little to do with this recovery however as the fish was already infected. This fish was strong enough to heal on its own.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

So many points you all brought up. Water changes will always be part of my fish keeping regimen,I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. I'm not even doing it for the reasons that some of you speak of. I'm doing it because my pond isn't a natural environment, no body of water with a rubber liner and no natural water turnover could be. I do not use a big filter I only ever had that lily and it did nothing but keep me from being able to keep sludge build up at bay so it's gone. Indoor fish tanks need water changes for the same reason.

There is no comparing an indoor aquarium with an outdoor pond. Apples and oranges.

 

[pecan]

Well, not quite 'fresh'. It is an established fact that the streams that feed into natural lakes and ponds are quite heavy in pollutants, often at a level higher than the body of water that they are feeding. Wrong argument to promote water changes.
Glad to hear that you fish recovered from fin-rot. 10% water changes had little to do with this recovery however as the fish was already infected. This fish was strong enough to heal on its own.

It was a bad case of fin rot. It had gone for a while as I hoped it would get better. It was a butterfly koi and the rot destroyed the entire tail fin and had reached and began rotting his body. I was within days of pulling him out and humanly euthanize him with clove oil when I decided to try doing water changes. I had read about fin rot and once it hit the body there is little to no hope the fish will survive and if they do most accounts stated the fin wouldn't grow once it gets that bad.

All I did was the water changes and his body started to heal and I was shocked to see the fin start actually growing back.

That's it, nothing else was done. I don't add anything to my pond other than de-chlor with large waters changes. So nothing else changed.

 

[barryian]

Yes I can only assume the water changes worked. The fin rot visibly stopped after doing a 10% water change weekly for 4 weeks. Then the fin started to grow back so I continued the waters changes just less frequent, 10% once or twice a month. That has been a couple years now and I still do the water changes once or twice a month which also flushes the gunk build up from the bottom of my skippy filters. The gunk can reduce my pump flow so its a win win for me.

I don't know enough about water and fish disease to explain why the water changes helped the fin rot, but they did so I wont argue with it and Ill keep doing the periodic water changes. I also drop the hose in it to top off the pond between water changes.

I don't change out enough water at any one time to require de-chlor except when I do a big spring and fall cleaning.

I also treat my pond as a pretty natural environment. As long as I have adequate filtration, low fish stock for the volume and do water changes, everything is considered beyond my control. I am not going to add chemicals or medication as I draw the line at putting any more effort into it, as its supposed to be for enjoyment not work. So I also wont stay up nights worrying about it.

A natural pond has fresh water flowing into it at all times. So I have hard time thinking it's good for the fish and pond to primarily live in re-circulated water all the time. It needs fresh water too from time to time.

And that's my uneducated opinion on the matter take for exactly that, an uneducated opinion. LOL

Well, I agree. I can't understand as you, how recirculated water, even with high end filtration, doesn't need partial changes. I've been doing changes for 23 years, I've visited many many sites and the one thing always stressed is water changes. So, I guess we all have to do what works and it's always worked well for me. I can't say not doing water changes wouldn't give me the same results, as I've never tried it so as far as Meyer's ideology on water changes, well, he might be perfectly right. I'm not willing to take the chance since I see no stress from my fish doing changes. I might do one thing though, that's cutting back on the frequency since my water quality always tests perfectly and looks perfect also. I can see a dime, heads or tails, four feet deep. ( with my glasses only ) lol ...

 

[morewater]

So many points you all brought up. Water changes will always be part of my fish keeping regimen,I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. I'm not even doing it for the reasons that some of you speak of. I'm doing it because my pond isn't a natural environment, no body of water with a rubber liner and no natural water turnover could be. I do not use a big filter I only ever had that lily and it did nothing but keep me from being able to keep sludge build up at bay so it's gone. Indoor fish tanks need water changes for the same reason.

because my pond isn't a natural environment"

Yet, they're able to be biologically balanced.

 

[Smaug]

Clear water means nothing. Also when doing no water changes and simply topping off you are actually concentrating unevaporative toxins in your water. My water is very hard and as that water evaporates it leaves behind anything that doesnt,water changes keep that problem at bay.

 

[MitchM]

Without knowing the chemical parameters of both the source water and the existing pond water, debating whether or not water changes are a good practice is pointless. Doing a water change turns into a gamble.
No disrespect intended.

The important thing is to understand what happens when you perform a water change.
Assigning cause and effect from water changes without knowing the parameters is misguided.

.

 

[Smaug]

I test all the common parameters. Of course I have no ammonia or nitrite but nitrates do rise and of course they fall after a water change. It's well known that hardening agents such as calcium do not evaporate so it's a fact that levels of calcium would rise as water evaporates and is replaced with more water with calcium. I do not test for calcium in my FW systems but I do in my sw tanks and I have seen that evidence. As for pH that rises substantially if nothing is done but top off. Water changes work,do them or dont. I know my pond and tanks benefit from them.

 

[MitchM]

Regarding calcium, keep in mind that calcium is a necessary nutrient for fish, and they absorb it from the water, not from their food.

 

[Lisak1]

I still do the water changes once or twice a month which also flushes the gunk build up from the bottom of my skippy filters. The gunk can reduce my pump flow so its a win win for me.

I suspect that right there has more to do with solving your fin rot problem than the water changes.

By the way @pecan your pond looks amazing! Love the newest photos you posted!

 

[barryian]

I thought this was interesting: I attached a screen shot of a small survey I came across on water changes ...

 

[pecan]

I suspect that right there has more to do with solving your fin rot problem than the water changes.

By the way @pecan your pond looks amazing! Love the newest photos you posted!

I didn't start flushing the gunk until this year after I did some plumbing changes. The fin rot was two years ago in summer 2013..

Thanks for your nice comments about the pond. We get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

 

[EricV]

My contention is, and always has been, that water changes are completely unnecessary. Any remediating action given as a reason for water changes can be accomplished in other less intrusive ways eliminating any stress imparted to the fish (and other aquatic organisms) however slight this stress may be perceived to be.

I've seen you say this a couple of times. What is the other remediating action for nitrate build-up in a pond with no plants?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I've seen you say this a couple of times. What is the other remediating action for nitrate build-up in a pond with no plants?

A trickle tower.

 

[barryian]

I've seen you say this a couple of times. What is the other remediating action for nitrate build-up in a pond with no plants?

I would like to know what the other ways are also considering I also have no plants due to the pond construction. Great filtration but no plants.